Ties That Bind
by LV3950
Summary: Karigan finds herself in a place very unexpected, where history has been reduced to legend and lore
1. Chapter 1

_Sorry this chapter is so short. More is in my head, this just seemed the best place to break. I know where the story as a whole is going, but I haven't worked out details yet, so that combined with kids and life, and updates will be sketchy at best. I'll apologize now. _

_I'm on the lookout for a beta if anyone's interested, and with that said, please be sure and bring to my attention any typos I missed in my proofs._

_ Happy reading!_

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><p><em><strong>Prologue<strong>_

There's a lot that can be said about our past. It's more than just history. There are people back there; people that are more than names. More than a line to follow backwards in time. They give us our hair color, height, the size of our shoes and clothes, the color and shape of our eyes. They even pass down a certain amount of their demeanor. But there is something more than our physical and emotional features that they give us—something that most people don't even think about.

They give us a connection to the land.

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><p><strong><em>Chapter 1<em>**

Karigan woke shivering from the cold stone beneath her, and the cold all around her. Her body throbbed, the cold not numbing her battered flesh nearly enough. Her wrist ached. Elbows, knees, legs, they all pulsed with a dull ache. Even her back was sore. Except her head. Something soft cradled her head. Her hair perhaps?She shivered, burrowing further beneath her thick blanket.

Blanket? Last she knew she was stuck in a stone box. How she did she get a blanket?

She woke up fully and expanded her senses around her. She was lying on a mat, what felt like straw or some other reed, maybe. The air was bitingly cold, but not severely so. She opened her eyes only to see nothing but darkness. She tentatively moved her limbs, testing mobility. She feared coming in contact with cold, smooth, unforgiving stone all around her, and discovered instead her right wrist to be bound and splinted. She couldn't move the joint at all. _Probably for the best_, she thought. She looked around, already knowing she wouldn't be able to see through the thick blackness.

Where was she? Where had she been before?

She started to get up, leaning heavily on her left arm, but fell back to the mat and pillow after a few grueling moments. She felt weak; disoriented. Trying to sit up only made her head spin. She couldn't seem to orient herself in the darkness, and trying seemed to make it worse. She lay back down, awake and restless, yet exhausted.

She lay there—for how long she did not know, breathing in the cool earthy air, and wondering where she was, how she got there, and who had found her.

Maybe she would be able to figure things out better with a little sleep...


	2. Chapter 2

_Here we are with chapter 2! Many many thinks to Faeriepuck, my editor in chief and Beta extraordinaire, for making this chapter what it is, and putting up with my midnight ramblings (literally!). Enjoy the update! (and the surprise ending)_

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><p>Karigan woke to blackness. It wasn't total darkness as she expected, but it was still impossible to make out the details of anything around her. She had a vague impression of leaves, their tree limbs twisted into haunting fingers ready to grab at any who passed by. There was a constant dripping throughout the dark space. And in the not too far distance a wail sounded abruptly and faded; an unfortunate creature coming to the end of its life.<p>

It was dark, damp, and suddenly she knew where she was.

She woke from her nightmare with a start to find a woman kneeling beside her with a slightly shielded lantern in her hand. She was very pale, her face framed by light blond hair, and eyes of an icy blue color emanating a soft warm glow. Everything from her face to her choice of tan and gray clothing seemed leeched of all color. The only exception was a brightly embroidered sash tied around her waist.

"I am sorry to wake you, although I think I am glad I came when I did. You seem to have been having a bad dream." The woman's voice was soft and warm with a strange accent that tugged with familiarity at the back of Karigan's mind.

Karigan's mind reeled with questions and she struggled to focus on one long enough to put it into words. "Where am I?" she croaked.

Without answer, the woman put the lantern on the floor and lifted up what looked like a water skin, popping the cork. She slipped her other hand under Karigan's head and helped her lift it up to the skin. "Drink," she said, her voice very calming. "It has been many days since we found you."

Karigan did as instructed and found the water to be cold, clean, and much needed to sooth her dry throat. She started to drink more greedily, but her body was not as fast as her desire, and she choked. Her aching body was wracked with coughs as she tried to expel the excess. Her stomach made to revolt, but thankfully it settled with a few gurgles.

"You must go slowly." Karigan nodded, and began to take more, sip by sip. "That is good. Right now your body recognizes that this is needed, and so it strongly demands it, but you must make it wait. Too much food or water when the body has been so long without can make it unwell."

Karigan knew the advice to be sound, and so stopped drinking once her thirst was abated a bit.

"You have had enough?" the woman asked.

Karigan nodded. "For now."

The woman smiled at that, then, patting the water skin said, "just tell me when you are ready for more."

Karigan nodded. Now that her mind was slightly less befuddled, she noticed that the stone room didn't echo, like she thought it should. "It's so quiet here."

The woman smiled. "We line the passages and rooms of this area with thick furs and carpets. It muffles the sound that way, allows people to sleep and rest."

Karigna nodded, grateful for their insight. "Where am I?" she asked again.

The woman smiled. "You are in the lost city of Tunai."

"Lost city?" She hoped not. That didn't bode well for her if these people were lost.

"For many many years it was lost, but no more. We have only just recently come out of hiding. We found you in one of our storage boxes. How you managed to get inside we haven't been able to figure out—those stone lids are heavy! But find you we did. Lucky someone passed by at the right time to hear strange noises coming from something that was supposed to be empty."

_Very lucky indeed. _But how did she even get there in the first place? Last she remembered before the box was Mornhavon taking over poor Yates, trying to convince her to give him the mask. What had happened in that moment when she broke it?

Her thoughts were cut short by a wide yawn.

The woman offered the water again, but Karigan shook her head. "You rest now. I will check on you now and again, and bring broth with me next time you wake." She rose, grabbing the skin of water and lantern, and moved toward the door—or, heavy curtain, as Karigan now noticed.

Karigan nodded her thanks, but stopped the woman's exit with one last question. "What's your name?"

The woman smiled again, her eyes sparkling in the faint light. "Tam," she said, before lifting the curtain to reveal a brightly lit hallway beyond.

Karigan squinted her eyes shut against the brightness as Tam disappeared, taking all of the light with her as the curtain fell back into place.

Alone in the dark once again, Karigan's thought ventured through possibilities, each one more wild then the next.

Where was she? And how was she going to get back?

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><p>Karigan woke some time later to a faint ribbon of light pouring in, and muffled voices in the hallway beyond. She struggled to clear the cobwebs of sleep so she could hear what was being said.<p>

"—Didn't find out anything?"

"I told you, Ras, she could barely speak." Karigan recognized Tam's voice. The other, deeper voice was unfamiliar to her.

"She must have gotten here somehow. It's all very suspicious—"

A third voice interrupted, "You think everything is suspicious."

"Everything should be!"

"Keep your voice down," Tam hissed.

"Don't tell me what to do with my voice; I want her out of here! What if she brings back the old curse?"

"You forget yourself, Ras." Tam's voice dropped in warning leaving silence in its wake.

"I am sorry, Woman."

"But what if Ras is right? What if this girl brings back imperials? Her coming feels evil," The third voice again. "And what of her flying horse? Why can only some of us see it?"

Karigan's eyes jerked wide. Her broach! Her hands fumbled through the thick blanket that still covered her, seeking that familiar place on her shirt, only to realize that her clothes had been changed. But there, on the soft woolen shirt over her breast, lay the long-familiar flying horse broach of the Green Riders.

Karigan sighed in relief, grateful she still had it, yet fearful that others here could recognize and see it.

A raised voice, Ras, Brought her attention back to the conversation.

"—Imperials may still come back! Our magic is not strong enough to fight them again!"

_Imperials?, _Karigan thought. It sounded familiar, but she couldn't place where she had heard the term before.

Tam spoke again, rebuking. "The Imperials came with the Lion, not the horse, you idiot. Now get out of here, both of you. I have a patient to tend to. And you have jobs to tend to!"

Two voices responded. "Yes, Woman."

Karigan scrunched her brows in thought. _Was Woman a title here?_

She didn't have time to ponder more on the question, as Tam pulled the curtain back, causing Karigan to squint in the sudden brightness.

"I apologize to have woken you." Tam said, sitting down. "How are you feeling?"

Karigan sighed inwardly. The conversation she had overheard left her more confused than ever. She no longer knew how she was feeling.

Tam seemed to sense her uneasiness and confusion. "Speak, child. I can see you have questions."

Karigan didn't know where to start. Her burning questions, who were these people and where was she, she didn't think she would get more of an answer then she already had. She was in the lost city of Tunai; these were the people of the lost city of Tunai. But where did that leave her? She decided to go with that nagging feeling of familiarity. "What did you mean about the lion? And who are the Imperials?" Tam didn't look surprised by her questions.

Tam 's eyes took on a faraway look, as if the questions brought unwelcome thoughts. Tam took a breath, and then spoke. "Many thousands of years ago, legend says that a lion passed through these parts, leading Imperials. We don't really know what these Imperials were; all we know is that they possessed magic of untold power. They, led by the lion, swept across this land, and others, forcing all under subjection in the name of the Emperor.

"These caves became a refuge, and they were slowly carved and shaped to provide protection against those that would oppress us. They didn't find us. God protected us, and kept us safe.

They came again many years later, the Lion and Imperials. They passed by, but God protected us again. Some people however, fear that the third time they come, they will find, and destroy us." Tam shrugged. "Last I heard from the Imperial City, the lion was no more. But that does not stop some people from keeping their superstitions." Tam smiled.

"Now," Tam said, "are you hungry? There is food in the passage outside. I was not sure if you were awake or not. Shall I get it?"

Karigan's grumbling stomach answered for her, coming alive at the mention of food.

Tam smiled. "I shall fetch it for you." She rose off her knees and left the room, tying the curtain back as she passed.

Karigan's mind reeled with the information. God? Which God did Tam speak of?

Tam came back, bearing a tray laden with a steaming bowl and large chunks of bread. "There is more where this came from, but you are encouraged to go slowly. We do not wish to upset your stomach with too much, too fast."

Karigan nodded as she tried to sit up, but Tam hurried to place the tray on the floor and help her, propping up pillows behind her against the stone wall.

With the curtain tied back, Karigan got her first real look at her surroundings. The walls, what she could see of them, looked to be smoothly carved rock. Most wall surfaces were covered with hanging blankets, curtains, and furs. The floors were also so covered. Tam, she saw, wore the same pale-colored clothing and brightly embroidered waistband she remembered seeing earlier, and she couldn't help but wonder how much, or how little time had passed.

With her back propped comfortably against the wall behind her, Tam brought the tray of food over. It smelled wonderful to her starving senses, and tasted wonderful to her starving stomach. But she took Tam's advice, and went slowly, the two sitting in a comfortable silence as she ate her fill.

When she was done she looked at the tray and was surprised at how much food still remained on the tray. "Finished?" Tam asked.

Karigan nodded. "Thank you."

"Of course." Tam set the tray aside, and settled back on her legs. "Now, what other questions do you have? Or do you wish to rest?"

Karigan had a whole handful of questions. She thought of which questions to ask, which questions would likely give her the most helpful answers. But her thoughts were continuously drawn back by the Lion in Tam's story. A lion, who led Imperials. Imperial soldiers, she assumed.

She decided to start with the basics. "Where am I?"

Tam smiled. "You mean, besides the city of Tumai?" Karigan nodded. "Why don't you tell me where you are from, and we shall see if we have any common ground to build on. It will do no good to tell you more if you are unfamiliar with this area."

Karigan paused. Did Sacoridia have enemies? She didn't know. "Are you familiar with Rhovanny?" Tam shook her head, a crease forming between her brows. "Eletia?" Again, a shake of the head. "Sacoridia?" No. Karigan thought. "Cloud Islands?" No. "Black Island?" No. It was a long shot anyway. Karigan furrowed her brow, suddenly fearful that she would never see home again because no one here had even heard of it.

_Lion. And Imperials_

_The Lion._

_ The Lions._

Karigan gasped, then flinched.

"Alessandros Mornhavon."

Tam's eyes widened. "How do you know that name?"

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><p><em>Didn't see that one coming, did you? Okay, please don't throw anything. Or at least if you do, use the review button to do it :)<em>


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